The Dillon tribune., 1887-07-29
Ghe lilo,, Gribn'te.
DRAMA In WINNIPEG.
A BARN STORMlNG cOMpAkY'S Ex-
pERjENCE IN MANITOBA.


An Audience of Indians, TTapIers and
TrsAers.JIaying to Enormous Ho"s"".
A Primitive Theatrs-Two Perform.
aneee In Ono Night-lseeeipts.
Charles Arnold. who IL now - .,ar actor
in England. tells Of his visit IT, Manitoba
in this fashion: 1--WE were advised to
visit that place, as no dramatic company
had Mt that limo been there. Accordingly
a little party, numbering sixteen members
of the stock company from Montreal.
jour,,eyed 1000 miles to Winnipeg, which
was then IL little village. This WAS in ~
or go. There were NO public lights, pave
ments or roads in tho city which con.
sisted Of one street only. Winnipeg was
inhabited by Indians, half breeds and
few English settlers. We opened in the
Market hall, Immediately ovcr the jail,
and our performances were enlivcned by
the shrieks of the indians and half breed
women, who had taken too n,,NI 'hre.
water
II was very much disgusted with the
noble rctl man'--hc IL nothing but beg
sar, after al!. The ideal Indian that
Feni,norc Copper refers 10 is simply
knocked ON the heasi. I found one IN.
telligcnt Indian, . nephew Of Sitting Bull,
who had been educated at q college in Min
near,olis. found he had decided taste
for the drama, and from our repertoire Of
twenty pieces lie selected Gill,erts En-
gaged' and 'PygmaliOn and Galntca' "a bis
favorite plays. Except for the novelty VI
the Ife, there was little Amusement for ~
IN Winnipeg. The hotels were 80 crowded
that We had To 1.-Two In tents. We slept on
the prairie, and for amusen,cnt VIC bor-
rowcd n few latbs, obtained some fish
hooks, and went along the hanks Of the
brooke spearing frogs. This was great
fun, Us wo sl,caretl three or four dozen Ut
these edible reptiles in an hour. A most
delicious supper was obtained from their
legs, which were dipped In egg lmtter.
rolled In biscuit paste and fried IN boiling
fat.
1--WE played to enormous houses in
Winnipeg. IntiiNus and half breeds made
up our audiences, and every ono seemed
flush of money. Many carried! rolls Of
bills about with them. There were no
coppers uscsl, and q half dime was the
lowest coin. While We were in Winnipeg
the mayor Ct Emnrson,4a small town OF.
500 inhabitants, camo up and said they
had never had dramatic performance.
and insisted upon our visiting that place.
He said there was not much in the way
If . theatre, hut that they had an old
bonded warehouse full Of agricultural i'm.
plcmcnts, soap boxes, brandy and cham
pagne cases and by clearing those out he
would rig up first class auditorium.
Having two days to spare we decided to
visit Emerson, and upon entering the
tvNk itos, ,ts
with n great ovation. A committee Of
ten had been appointed to clear out the
building. which was nothing hut n barn,
with windows on the ground fOor. A
hole was cut in the building for purposes
of exit, and another exit was constructed
from the platform on to tho prairie. where
tents had been rugged up for the COM
pany. There was I'D house for I. mile
around, and VIC had to dress in tho tents.
'At night there was big house, every
ono coming to town on horseback. It
seemed like big horse fair, ns the ami
mails were picketed In tho bushes around
the building, and now and again We wero
startled by sl,rill neigh from their tlircc-
tion. Tho committee Of ten citizens,
headed by the mayor, had done their
work WE'LL and while the old warehouse
did not present very inviting appear.
ance IT. served n purpose. The stalls, oz
back seats, consisted Of soap and candle
tOxes, brandy and champagne cases placed
in rows in front Of the stage mo extra
charge for champagne cases.. may add
that tho cases were not empty. Each
seat represented dozen or two of brandy
or champagne. Thc committee saw that
no liberties were taken with the seats n
We performed Lester Wallack's military
drama, 'Rtxetinlc," which seemed L
please our audience greatly. The lady
members Of our company had lively
time of IL ;.li through the performance, a:
tho mosquitoes insisted on making tl.eil
presence felt in most nncomiurtab,,
manner. II was laughablc tu see tn,
gentle slaps the ctins gave during til,
moro serious PORTIONS of the play to ri.
themselves f the singing pests.
'On the second night uf our stay ",
performed ''rhe Sh;,u:shraun,' with all tn
effects. reNolNiu ing ;uwe", etc. At the con
cl,sion Of The second &cl TIE ccmlaitte
waiicl Oh ne :.nl requested! that We pro
Ion: our visit another night. Tni; co,il,
not br d,.!c, ;.s we h:i engagements t
meet elsewhere, but il occurred to nc tina
We could give another performance tina
night. We could finish playing ''rh
Shaughraun' ut lO:A5 O'Clock. alt! by dis
missing the audience Tor fifteen minute
start again with another play ut II O'Clock
l announced this IL the audience and wa
received with cheers and cries Of Play al
night! Well. we finished Tho Shaugt
raun,' aud the male portion of the aud
cnce retired to the prairie, while collect
cd the admission fec for tho second pe,
formance from the ladies, who rcmaine
seated: the gentlemen then returned, pay
ing at the door,
"!At Has We commenced the sccon
programme. which consisted of bu,
lesQue on Canadian politics, entitled II
N. s. Parliament written to 'pinafor,
music. Each character was made up
represent u prominent Canadian state: